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Of all the Swiss cities, Zürich has the liveliest nightlife. The Niederdorf is Zürich's nightlife district, with cut-rate hotels, strip joints, and bars crowding along Marktgasse, which becomes Niederdorfstrasse. On Thursday and weekend nights, the streets flow with a rowdy crowd of club- and bar-hoppers. In Zürich West, the locales are all a shade hipper. In winter, things wind down between midnight and 2 am, but come summer most places stay open until 4 am.
This local landmark draws a well-dressed, upwardly mobile crowd. It's a popular performance space for established artists, such as Pink Martini and Angelique Kidjo, looking for an intimate venue. The Rolling Stones once showed up unannounced for an impromptu concert.
Le Raymond is a modernist café and bar overlooking the city’s moat, the Schanzengraben. Despite its proximity to the ritzy Paradeplatz neighborhood, the bar remains surprisingly casual. Its vaulted ceiling, elongated bar, and cozy wooden alcoves give travelers a little privacy to sip their Hugos and espressos in peace (ditto for the outdoor terrace overlooking the water). There’s also a limited food menu of pies, salads, and soups.
Located along the city’s former 17th-century moat and ramparts, this bar is a male-only bath during the day and then transforms into a hip bar each evening, when all are welcome. Chill out on cushions and enjoy grilled specialties and cool nightly cocktails.
